The arrival of the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine can be considered the light at the end of the tunnel in 2021.
You may not feel it for a while yet, but the National Immunisation Programme, which is set to start today (February 24th) will mark the turning point in the pandemic.
Day by day, the number of protected people will climb, and COVID-19 will slowly, but surely, find it harder to spread.
This is the comment of Malaysian Public Health Physicians Association (PPPKAM) president Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar, who also shared with Astro Radio News the benefits of vaccination.
An important tool to help stop the pandemic
Vaccines work with your immune system, so it will be ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. This will help us achieve
herd immunity, which is vital because it not only protects those who have been inoculated, but also the people around them.
Safer way to help build protection
As COVID-19 can bring upon serious, life-threatening complications, the vaccine may offer us some protection, known as immunity. It could also reduce the chances of us getting infected with COVID-19-related illness.
Prospect of a return to normal life
It could make us feel more comfortable when hanging out with friends, or for teachers teaching at schools, or even for those visiting their elderly parents.
But even though the vaccine offers us a glimmer of hope, medical experts say that obtaining the vaccine will not mean the battle against the coronavirus is over.
What’s important is for us to fully embrace the new norm, and continuously adhere to SOPs and physical distancing requirements.
Stay safe, everyone!
by Roshini Ravindran
